Channel 3 Panel Should Step Down Over Thai Soap Opera: Nipit

[webfact]

Channel 3 panel should step down over soap opera: Nipit

By Pakamard Jaichalard

The Nation

Members of the censorship committee at Channel 3 should be removed, Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat said after complaints were received about the content and rating of "Dok Som See Thong" soap opera.

Nipit told reporters yesterday he had written urgently to PM's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaiboon, who is in charge of media affairs, asking him to inspect the soap opera's storyline, scenes and rating, following complaints received via the ministry's 1765 hotline.

Nipit said some of the characters in the series acted extremely aggressively and with overly strong emotion, but the series rating failed to reflect their behaviour.

Although the Channel 3 committee changed the series' rating from Nor 13+ (restricted for children under 13) to Nor 18+ (restricted for children under 18) after people had expressed concern, it had still failed to give the proper rating, the minister said.

"If I were authorised [to do so], I would remove all members of this committee. I want Channel 3's executives to review their work because they are not thinking about social responsibility, but about business profits."

Producers of the soap had TV rating manuals, but they gave the series a rating that was not in line with its content and he feared teenagers who were physically and emotionally sensitive would imitate the inappropriate or aggressive behaviour of its characters.

He said the ministry would examine the storyline of every channel's soap operas, especially those considered improper, as it would then have information to send to a soon-to-be established committee on the inspection of TV content. Each soap should, thus, be given a rating carefully and properly.

"It seems you [soap-opera producers] have not listened to us. If you listen and think, our society will be better. If you don't, society will be worse," he said.

Pairat Borworn-sompong, a lecturer at Srinakharinwirot University's Faculty of Social Science, said many other soap operas were guilty of having characters engaging in unwanted behaviour. It showed that Thai society was in a critical state, especially as regards its thinking and behaviour, as some people defend the soaps by insisting they directly reflect truths in society. "My research on children has found criticism about Thai teenagers' unwanted behaviour. There are reasons they engage in such behaviour - the media are an important mould for Thai children and teenagers' behaviour," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-05-03

[ib1b4]

And this would be a very good exercise in boosting the viewing ratings for channel 3,

[Buchholz]

Although the Channel 3 committee changed the series' rating from Nor 13+ (restricted for children under 13) to Nor 18+ (restricted for children under 18)

Nor 18+ is the equivalent to a Rated X porn (no one under 18 allowed) movie in the West??

Anyway...

looks same, same to a bazillion other Thai soaps, which are more funny than anything else.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzTSdfu5pSU&feature=related

[nullx8]

the problem is not about rating ...

the lack of general education, wrong wealth (the current generation eats up the earnings of previous generations without contribute back)

leads to more and more peoples change lifestyle to the characters in soap operas like this.

the show is just reflecting the sad truth.

for me its quite funny to see tis shit ... but i know quite a number of thai peoples looking up to this characters and practice similar lifestyle(s).

its not a matter of censorship ! it's a education problem.

[RedNIvar]

After checking with some of my Thai friends, the story portrayed in this soap actually happens in Thai society. The truth hurts and they are trying to censor and/or ban this soap.

A Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired. IMHO

[Thai at Heart]

After checking with some of my Thai friends, the story portrayed in this soap actually happens in Thai society. The truth hurts and they are trying to censor and/or ban this soap.

A Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired. IMHO

the truth brings shame upon Thai culture again.

[Buchholz]

After checking with some of my Thai friends, the story portrayed in this soap actually happens in Thai society. The truth hurts and they are trying to censor and/or ban this soap.

A Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired. IMHO

Since there are no farang in the show, please ask your friends which one of these male Thais, in the opening credits showing all the characters, is the "foreigner" being cheated by a Thai female.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inLZfNq8q_E&feature=related

This isn't about banning a soap, it's about getting properly rated (even if their rating system is ultra-conservative by Western standards). IMHO.

[chmiroau]

"It showed that Thai society was in a critical state, especially as regards its thinking and behaviour, as some people defend the soaps by insisting they directly reflect truths in society."

Um, are they for real???

Television soaps are made for one and only one reason, to sell advertising space. If they reflected real life then people simply wouldn't watch them. So the writers and directors need to add lots of spice and drama to persuade the general population to watch them. So as the competition between different television stations hots up, so does the story lines and the line between what is expected to be normal everyday life and controversy fractures.

This kind of competition degrades both the quality and the content of the soap, meaning that, in some countries there has been a call for some kind of psychological overseeing of the story lines, especially when children and adolescents are concerned.

I know for sure that my wife is hopelessly addicted to these shows, and can't go for long with out watching them, so as consequence I have to view them occasionally. Completely brain rotting shit is all I have to say. Product placement is ripe, even so much as the advertisers have their names put on the credits in nice big bold font. And yet the population that watch these shows are oblivious to the real reason why the television companies are making them.

Very sad.

[chmiroau]

After checking with some of my Thai friends, the story portrayed in this soap actually happens in Thai society. The truth hurts and they are trying to censor and/or ban this soap.

A Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired. IMHO

Since there are no farang in the show, please ask your friends which one of these male Thais, in the opening credits showing all the characters, is the "foreigner" being cheated by a Thai female.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inLZfNq8q_E&feature=related

This isn't about banning a soap, it's about getting properly rated (even if their rating system is ultra-conservative by Western standards). IMHO.

To my knowledge there hasn't ever been a show with this content, and the writer of the first comment never stated that it was true, just eluded to the possibility of the subject.

However there have been many shows where a foreigner has tried to pick up one of the female actors and the female actor always replies,, "sorry I don't like foreigners". This could very easily be seen as, well what is was. It is in plain Thai. Hehe.

[Buchholz]

Completely brain rotting shit is all I have to say.

Can't disagree with that.

[RedNIvar]

After checking with some of my Thai friends, the story portrayed in this soap actually happens in Thai society. The truth hurts and they are trying to censor and/or ban this soap.

A Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired. IMHO

Since there are no farang in the show, please ask your friends which one of these male Thais, in the opening credits showing all the characters, is the "foreigner" being cheated by a Thai female.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inLZfNq8q_E&feature=related

This isn't about banning a soap, it's about getting properly rated (even if their rating system is ultra-conservative by Western standards). IMHO.

Sorry, my mistake, I should have said "If there was a Thai soap with a storyline of a foreigner in love getting ripped off by his Thai girlfriend/wife, will immediately be banned and everyone involved with this soap fired". The second statement was not related to the first.

[Buchholz]

Sorry, my mistake

[isaanbrit]

I agree that the problem is not about rating, but in my opinion the problem is the culture ministry. Their entire job is to try and make Thailand look like a saintly society where nobody drinks, smokes, argues, fights, etc and this is simply them doing their entirely unnecessary job. Give it up thailand, our youth are drinking, smoking, arguing, fighting, and having rampant sex and there's pretty much nothing anyone can do about it.

the problem is not about rating ...

the lack of general education, wrong wealth (the current generation eats up the earnings of previous generations without contribute back)

leads to more and more peoples change lifestyle to the characters in soap operas like this.

the show is just reflecting the sad truth.

for me its quite funny to see tis shit ... but i know quite a number of thai peoples looking up to this characters and practice similar lifestyle(s).

its not a matter of censorship ! it's a education problem.

[Junglejumbo]

Do the soap operas reflect what's going on in society or the otherway around? Given the showing of the boobs on Silom it isn't surprising then that the man ripped off the characters bra in the soap.

[jfchandler]

Not being an avid Thai soaps watcher.... in general terms... could someone please mention... just what is it about this show (different from all the others) that's getting the puckered crowd all worked up?

[Livinginexile]

If it is true that art imitates life.

Then Thailand is in a bad state of affairs

[jayjayjayjay]

Bring on that happy lovely little caldersack in Melbourne they call "Neighbours" 6150 episodes(20 years) launched Kyle Minogue or Coronation Street, 7525 episodes(40 years). It is funny that Thailand has a completely different type of soap opera, 3 months and it's gone. They do not develop a story or the characters. My guess it the TV shows want to keep control over actors not allowing anyone to develop into a likeable character where they can then press for better wage deals. At the same time, all they do is end up with hysterical aggressive and pointless story lines that really don't challenge the daily lifestyle of the average Thai. Not that Neighbours or Coronation street do, but I dare say it is a lot closer than any recent Thai soap.

Most Western countries have police based series. Whether it follows general police life, homicide detectives, CSI or even the Miami Vice type scenario.

Can someone offer a storyline for "The Men in Brown" a soap about Thai cops!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gemini81]

the stories are "based on" old stories that did take place. but they're taken out of context and modernized (hence the pig squeeling, bmw's and dark skinned servants)

they should be rated based on: suck rating, brain cell deterioration rate, and horrible acting. even those korean shows look pro compared to these thai soaps, now that's sad!

[ParadiseLost]

Bring on that happy lovely little caldersack in Melbourne they call "Neighbours" 6150 episodes(20 years) launched Kyle Minogue or Coronation Street, 7525 episodes(40 years). It is funny that Thailand has a completely different type of soap opera, 3 months and it's gone. They do not develop a story or the characters. My guess it the TV shows want to keep control over actors not allowing anyone to develop into a likeable character where they can then press for better wage deals. At the same time, all they do is end up with hysterical aggressive and pointless story lines that really don't challenge the daily lifestyle of the average Thai. Not that Neighbours or Coronation street do, but I dare say it is a lot closer than any recent Thai soap.

Most Western countries have police based series. Whether it follows general police life, homicide detectives, CSI or even the Miami Vice type scenario.

Can someone offer a storyline for "The Men in Brown" a soap about Thai cops!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wasn't it made a long time ago? Keystone Cops I think it was called...

[ginjag]

Bring on that happy lovely little caldersack in Melbourne they call "Neighbours" 6150 episodes(20 years) launched Kyle Minogue or Coronation Street, 7525 episodes(40 years). It is funny that Thailand has a completely different type of soap opera, 3 months and it's gone. They do not develop a story or the characters. My guess it the TV shows want to keep control over actors not allowing anyone to develop into a likeable character where they can then press for better wage deals. At the same time, all they do is end up with hysterical aggressive and pointless story lines that really don't challenge the daily lifestyle of the average Thai. Not that Neighbours or Coronation street do, but I dare say it is a lot closer than any recent Thai soap.

Most Western countries have police based series. Whether it follows general police life, homicide detectives, CSI or even the Miami Vice type scenario.

Can someone offer a storyline for "The Men in Brown" a soap about Thai cops!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wasn't it made a long time ago? Keystone Cops I think it was called...

Can you imagine a soap opera -starring the BIB, at road check points--after that-where would you find them to film ?????

Theses soaps are sick to the extreme. They all have this what they call in Thailand-ATTITUDE problem. Actually if they didn't corrupt and influence the viewers, the writers should twist the stories -being a joke the writers should make the soaps into a joke, to show the people it's a farce. Have viewers laughing- rather than make them believe it's real life........ cause this is the real problem Thai's think it is normal, and they copy the contents themselves.................Why HI-SO families-new cars-model girls-big houses-fighting in every scene

[drdoom6996]

the problem is not about rating ...

the lack of general education, wrong wealth (the current generation eats up the earnings of previous generations without contribute back)

leads to more and more peoples change lifestyle to the characters in soap operas like this.

the show is just reflecting the sad truth.

for me its quite funny to see tis shit ... but i know quite a number of thai peoples looking up to this characters and practice similar lifestyle(s).

its not a matter of censorship ! it's a education problem.

WHAT EDUCATION?????

[housepainter]

You need to teach people how to use the 'off' button.

But then how anyone can sit through endless hours of screaming, weeping and wailing by mature women acting like tantrum tormented ten year olds against a back drop of mansion styled houses, sparsely furnished and lit by at leaset 4 suns when outside and a barage of lights when inside.

Why ist it these all powerful rich Thais are so miserable amongst all their oppulence. Are they really modelled on 95 wrist watches Thaksin and cannot find pleasure inanything other than civilian mortality rates, land grab deals or selling the country's silver to the Chinese?

Perhaps I'm more shocked now by having the screen blurred over a cigarette smoker's resting hand than a large knife cutting out a young girl's eye by a viscious killer who is still wise enough to not sink so low as to buy a pack of Marlboro.

At least when I sit down of an evening with my lovely wife and our twin girls, fast approaching their sixth birthdays, we can watch all manner of rape, mutillation and saidsitic acts as a family whilst safe in the knowledge that no one will be putting a filter tip to their lips.

My children are at least safe in the knowledge that knives are to butcher bodies with and axes are for dismembering the corpse; basements and garages are for kidnap victims to be sexually abused before a slow and painful death ] shown in full screen close up] and that unmarked vans snatch victims off the streets.

Imagine a world where six year old kids imagined knives belonged in a kitchen, axes the wood pile and unmarked vans transported goods to market.

The censors clearly have their priorities as I as a good parent have mine by not using my own judgement to decide what is shown in my house; on my TV; to my children. What more could I ask of censors, TV makers and script writers other than to protect me from watching characters in films smoke as they blow someone's head off with a sawn off shotgun they've just removed bloodied and dripping from the victim's posterior?

Sense and sensibilities in ther Land of Smiles, where after all, you do have to laugh.

Don't you?

[dominique355]

The only one who should step down is the Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat.

This guys doesn't miss one opportunity to make a fool of himself. Remember the top-less story?

[curtklay]

PLEEEEASE...Ban all the soaps!!

[animatic]

I think Kuhn Nipit needs removing for "overly strong emotion".

[Chang_paarp]

The Culture Ministry needs to examine these soaps and hopefully ban them.

[webfact]

PM's Office min says won't ban controversial soaps "Mongkut Dok Som See Thong", advisory msg 2b displayed at start,controversial scenes cut /TAN_Network

[kimamey]

The thing that makes me laugh, well one of the things that make me laugh about Thai tv programmes and music videos is that alost all the people in them have paler skin than most farang.On my last visit I had to sit in the waiting area of a hospital in either Mahasarakham or Khon Kaen. There was a tv although I can't remember what was being shown but started looking at the mass of Thais around me looking for someone as pale as those on the screen. That's 30 minutes of my life I'll never get back.

[thequietman]

hi guys,

just asked the wife about this show. she has told me that its a little too close to the truth for thai people. one storyline was about a thai lady not wanting to look after her baby and felt that trying to get a farrang would help the situation as regards finances. she went on to say that the show portrays thai people as the writers see them today. greedy, inconsiderate and lazy, always looking for the easy way out. the stories always end with the charaters losing out as they chose the wrong way to do things, the wrong path. these are her interpretations not mine.

looks like a show that is maybe trying to make a point about the thai society of today and their faults. i understand now why there are complaints as thai people and politicians alike do not like to see themselves in their real light.

[Johpa]

Television soaps are made for one and only one reason, to sell advertising space. If they reflected real life then people simply wouldn't watch them.

Of course the makers of the soaps have a financial motive that is realized by the selling of advertising. They also have social motives in fostering a complacent female population that is encouraged to use emotion and not reason to negotiate the world. And they also use the soaps to promote an East Asian concept of beauty above a Southeast Asian concept of beauty. Thus we get Sino-Thais tending to play the leading roles and ethnic Thai actors tending to play the servants in these imaginary households. This of course leads to the selling of even more "beauty" products in order to change appearances. So the goal is twofold, to make money and to manipulate certain segments of the society.